Tax burden on individuals earning less than Rs 20 lakh a year, broadly described as middle class, has come down during the 10 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, while there has been a substantial increase in taxes paid by those having annual income above Rs 50 lakh, sources said on Wednesday. As per the income tax return (ITR) filing data, the number of individuals showing annual income of over Rs 50 lakh has gone up to over 9.39 lakh in 2023-24, a five-fold jump from 1.85 lakh in 2013-14. Also, the income tax liability of those earning above Rs 50 lakh has gone up 3.2 times, from Rs 2.52 lakh crore in 2014, to Rs 9.62 lakh crore in 2024. A source said that 76 per cent of income tax collected is from those earning above Rs 50 lakh a year. This has led to reduced tax burden on the middle class. Also, the increase in number of people filing ITRs with annual income above Rs 50 lakh is due to "strong anti tax evasion and black money laws implemented by the Modi ...